That Day on the Airship
by Simphonyc
Summary: AU branching just before the end of Volume 6. Aboard the Atlesian airship en route to Atlas, Ruby and Weiss take some time to talk, sharing their thoughts, memories, and emotions with each other. For White Rose Week 2019.
1. Prologue

**A/N: Hello there, and welcome to the start of my White Rose Week 2019 collection. I've never actually written a fanfic before, so this is going to be an adventure in more ways than one. In fact, I wasn't even planning on participating in White Rose week until June 10****th**** had already started. I became possessed by inexplicable urge and inspiration, so here we are. I won't pretend to be a professional, but I hope that my writing can bring some joy to some people.**

**I've decided to write my stories as a continuous set of interactions between Ruby and Weiss while on the airship en route to Atlas at the end of Volume 6, occurring before the final scene such that they can fit into the continuity as an alternate timeline branching just before the start of Volume 7. I will be using both the audience and admin prompts from the white-rose-week Tumblr to guide my writing of a single chapter each day, plus a prologue added to set the stage. I hope you enjoy!**

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Ruby looked out the window of the airship with quiet relief as city of Argus and the one-armed robot stomping around its shoreline continued to shrink from view. The tiniest of sighs escaped her lips as the day's events flashed through her mind. She remained fixated on the horizon, consumed by the need to know that the city was still safe for as long as she possibly could.

Just as the last skyscraper faded from the horizon, she found herself imagining a second Leviathan emerging from the sea where the first one had been slain. They had barely managed to survive one of the colossal Grimm, what if another was nearby, drawn to the fear and horror that had been flowing from the densely populated city only an hour earlier? What if Salem's forces had planned the Leviathan's appearance? What if it was just the vanguard, preceding a larger attack force? What if this had all been a setup? What if there was something bigger at play? What if there was something she'd overlooked?! What if—

"Ruby."

She felt a hand fall gently on her shoulder as the unusually tender voice of her partner reached her ears, scattering the horrible images from her mind. Ruby turned to see concerned blue eyes staring at her. Weiss held her gaze for a moment before resuming.

"You sounded like you were on the verge of hyperventilating. Are you ok?" Weiss tightened her grip on Ruby's shoulder almost imperceptibly as she spoke, actively monitoring her own breathing to ensure Ruby's anxiety didn't transfer to her. Weiss recently noticed that she had become remarkably sensitive to Ruby's mood, to the point where more extreme emotions felt by the redhead would occasionally cause an active shift in her own. She felt a tenuous empathetic link to Yang and Blake as well, but the bond she'd developed with Ruby was stronger. It was the first time she'd felt a connection of that magnitude with anyone.

A hesitant smile flashed on Ruby's face for a moment before vanishing again, too exhausted to feign emotions. "Y-yeah… Sort of… I… imagined Argus being attacked a second time and one thought led to another. It's… it's been a long day." Ruby conceded as she let out another, heavier sigh.

Weiss nodded sympathetically as she slid her hand down to Ruby's, holding it like a piece of glasswork. "It has… It really, really has…" she whispered, carefully tugging Ruby downward so the two of them could continue their conversation sitting. She had to ensure that Ruby couldn't look outside again. She repositioned herself so her back was against the airship's wall; her left side inches away from Ruby's right.

Looking past Ruby, she saw Blake and Yang in a similar position, but even closer. Leaning against each other, passed out. She and Ruby hadn't gotten all the details just yet, though they had gotten enough to know that their teammates had survived an encounter before the Leviathan had surfaced that would have left most professional huntresses physically and mentally drained.

Returning her attention to Ruby, Weiss didn't need an empathetic link to know that her friend's tension was fading, it was more than apparent in her posture. It was only then Weiss she realized just how heavy her eyelids were. "It's only mid-afternoon, but I'm exhausted. I wonder if there's a coffee machine onboard…" she mused.

"Oh my gosh, coffee would be amaaazing right now." Ruby said, smiling hopefully, an expression Weiss unconsciously mirrored.

As long as Ruby was smiling, genuinely smiling, nothing else mattered to her.


	2. Chapter 1

**_Audience Prompt: "First"_**

**_Admin Prompt: "Coffee"_**

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Weiss continued to gaze at Ruby for only a split second longer before perking up as something occurred to her. "Actually…" She furrowed her brow as she glanced around the Atlesian aircraft. After a moment, she stood and began walking towards a door on the opposite side of the ship, pulling Ruby up with her. The idea of letting go of the girl's hand was unthinkable. She was going to investigate, and she wasn't about to leave Ruby alone, so her partner would have to join her, that's all there was to it.

"The trip from Argus to Mantle is lengthy, and there's no land between the two unless you take a significant detour by stopping in Vytal, which means the pilots must regularly have meals onboard, so there should be a place to store and prepare food…" Weiss reasoned aloud as they crossed the ship. "…And goodness knows more pilots drink coffee than not, so odds are…" She arrived at the door and pulled it open to reveal a small room with cabinets, a miniature refrigerator, a microwave, and nestled in the corner, a simple coffee maker.

Weiss barely had the time to smirk triumphantly before Ruby's arms were around her. "Ohmygosh, Weiss, that was amazing!" She praised her partner with the same admiration she'd used when they successfully did their Ice Flower combat maneuver for the first time. Her silver eyes sparkled with joy as she took the lead, dragging Weiss into the kitchenette and rapidly opening each of the cabinets to inspect their contents.

"Bread. Granola bars. Canned soup. AH! FOUND IT!" She squealed with delight as she pulled out a box of instant coffee packets. "There's cream and sugar too!" She spun around, arms filled, to see Weiss looking at her with a quiet smile. There was something unique about that smile. Something that was just so very… Weiss. Calm yet assuring, muted yet earnest, and stunningly beautiful. Her smile was so enchanting that it took Ruby a few seconds to process that Weiss was holding a small box out to her.

Ruby audibly gasped. "Dust Scout cookies?! Atlas airships are the best! Open'em up open'em up! We'll have some while we wait for the coffee!" Ruby bounced excitedly.

Weiss simply let out an amused giggle as she swapped her box with her partner's. "You can start on the cookies, I'll make the coffee." She said as she plucked a mug from one of the cabinets and used it to fill the coffee maker with water. "Do you still take yours with cream and five sugars?" She inquired nonchalantly as she placed the empty ceramic cup beneath the machine's spout. Ruby, who was already eating a cookie looked at Weiss in awe before hastily gulping it down.

"You remembered?!" She asked in soft disbelief.

"Of course I did." Weiss responded modestly as she pushed a button on the coffee maker.

"But you haven't made coffee for me since… well, since the first time you made coffee for me, which was, like, our first month at Beacon. Wow, that feels even longer ago than it actually is…" Ruby's voice trailed off, but her smile remained.

"It was a memorable night… and a memorable cup of coffee. It was my first, and so far only time using Myrtenaster as a cooking tool." Weiss recalled with an uncharacteristically wistful tone.

"Wait, what?!" Ruby stared in utter confusion.

"Well, we didn't have a coffee maker in our dorm room, remember? And you were up studying long after the student lounge had closed, so I went to the bathroom, filled the mug, and then used fire dust to turn Myrtenaster into a makeshift heating rod before adding the coffee, cream, and sugar." A faint blush reached Weiss face as she confessed to the undignified act she'd committed in her haste to impress her partner. Despite her embarrassment, she couldn't keep herself from smiling at the memory.

"Aww, I can't believe you did that for me!" Ruby said as she took Weiss' hand and placed a stack of three cookies into it. "Seriously, I know you were trying to apologize that night, but you were still totally in your ice-queen-y phase. Using Myrtenaster like that… It means a lot to me." She bashfully shifted her weight from one foot to the other.

"I'd actually planned on doing it again if the coffee maker here was broken." Weiss said, turning to the device that had just finished dispensing dark, fragrant liquid.

Ruby watched as her partner carefully poured her preferred combination of sweeteners into the mug and swirled it around with a plastic spoon, appreciating the care that was apparent in every movement. She silently accepted the mug, feeling its warmth radiating into her hands as Weiss prepared a cup for herself.

The two shared the first truly peaceful moment they'd had all day. For a moment, there were no Grimm, no relics, and no Salem, just each other and the pleasant aroma of coffee.

"Weiss, you're the best teammate ever."

Ruby's voice was sincere, and while she truly meant what she said, she felt a twinge of sadness. She wasn't sad because of anything that Weiss had done, or even anything that she herself had done, she was sad because the words felt incomplete. In Ruby's mind, Weiss had transcended being a teammate some time ago, and after the peril they'd overcome in the past several hours, leaving things unsaid no longer felt like an option. Weiss was beauty, grace, and strength incarnate, and more importantly, Weiss was her best friend. Ruby couldn't stand the thought of being away from her for another day, let alone the concept of reliving those agonizing months they spent half a world apart. She couldn't do that again.

Mere feet away, Ruby's words hit Weiss with an unexpected amount of weight. She felt validated, the pledge she'd made to Ruby all those nights ago in their dorm room had been fulfilled. And yet, it felt entirely inadequate. Ruby's words weren't inadequate. Those had value beyond anything the Schnee fortune could ever buy. What was inadequate was her own mediocre commitment to Ruby. Someone as incredible as Ruby deserved more than just the best teammate ever. Ruby deserved everything she had to give, nothing less was acceptable. Weiss needed to give more to her. Weiss needed to _be_ more to her.

Silver eyes met blue, and the two spoke in unison.

"Weiss-."

"Ruby-."

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**A/N: I think seeing "First" and "Coffee" as the themes for the first day was what led to this entire escapade. Weiss making coffee for Ruby in Volume 1 has always felt like a pivotal moment in their relationship, and I wanted to use as many things as I could from that exchange when writing this chapter. I'll admit that I didn't go back and check every scene in their dorm room to confirm that they didn't in fact have a coffee machine there, but I couldn't remember seeing one. If someone points out that they actually did have one, I'll probably just edit Weiss' comments to say that Ruby broke it while making her cup earlier in the evening.**

**I hope you enjoyed!**


	3. Chapter 2

**_Audience Prompt: "Role Reversal/Body Switch"_**

**_Admin Prompt: "Touch"_**

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Blue and silver eyes remained locked as both girls' veins filled with adrenaline to the point that their perception of time was slowed. It was a sensation they'd felt many times while in battle, but neither could recall it happening without a physical threat nearby. Regardless, their racing thoughts were preoccupied with other matters.

_'Ok, Ruby. You can do this. You can do this. Just tell Weiss how you feel. Easy peasy. Ok, easier said than done. Actually, I guess it's easier thought than said in this case. But this is still easier than keeping your balance on the back of a Queen Lancer while facing down a Leviathan. Probably.'_

_'Get a hold of yourself, Weiss! This isn't some monster, this isn't a test, and this certainly isn't him. It's Ruby Rose. This is your teammate. This is your friend. This is… your… your hopefully-soon-to-be-something-more-than-friend…'_

_'I need to let her know how much I care about her. How much I respect her. And I also need to convince her this isn't a horrible idea. That she wouldn't need to worry about things changing. Well, not too much, at least. The whole point would be to change things at least a bit.'_

_'If I'm going to get Ruby to agree to this, I need to make a genuine appeal to her. Even though we're headed to Atlas, I shouldn't approach this conversation like I would with the people I'm used to speaking with in Atlas. This isn't a business deal. This is, literally, personal.'_

_'Weiss is always logical, so I'll use logic to make my point! And I'll talk like I think she would if she were asking me. Or at least how I guess she would. It can't hurt to try. Right?'_

_'Ruby is always genuine and direct, so that's how I should be. I'm sure she'll be appreciative of frankness in a situation like this.'_

_'There's nothing to be afraid of! I'm ready to take a calm, tactical approach. Explain the situation, be courteous, and convince her of how totally awesome it would be.'_

_'This should be manageable, if somewhat unconventional for me. I'll let her go first, and once she's finished with whatever she wants to discuss, I'll say what I need to say, and that will be that.'_

_'I just need to think like Weiss.'_

_'I just need to think like Ruby.'_

They each took a small breath, bringing their minds down from their frenzied state. Time resumed its normal pace only seconds after they said the other's name.

Ruby broke the silence. "S-Sorry, you go first, Weiss."

"No, no, it's fine, you first."

"Ok, sure!" Ruby cleared her throat and set her empty mug aside before beginning. "So. Weiss. We've been… acquainted for a significant duration of time now. And even though we were somewhat, uh, adversarial when we first convened, I believe it would be accurate to state that at this juncture we are an exceedingly capable… taskforce!" She spoke slowly but energetically as she pinched the ruffles of her combat skirt, slowly moving the sturdy fabric between her index finger and thumb in an attempted outlet for her nervousness.

Weiss raised an eyebrow in confusion as she shrugged casually. "I mean, we've killed a Sphinx while on top of a moving train, survived a horde of Apathy, brought down a giant robot, and helped protect a city from a Leviathan. And that was just this week, so yeah, we make a pretty good team." She allowed herself to smile as she glided the tip of her pointer finger over the smooth surface of her coffee mug.

"Indeed! And through those and other encounters of similar peril, we've arrived at a heightened understanding and appreciation of each other from both a personal and emotional standpoint. I daresay that our synergy goes beyond that of typical collaborators."

"I… well, yes. That's one way to put it. Are you feeling ok, Ruby?"

"Naturally! As a matter of fact, I feel positively marvelous, and my psychological disposition only improves when in your presence! And I hope that you have a comparable mental reaction when in mine."

"Um, thanks? I think? And… yes? …I think? What's with the wordiness? I haven't heard you talk like this since you met Winter."

"Oh! My apologies, I'm just trying to convey some imperative data before proceeding with my inquiry. You see… this point in time…" Ruby inhaled deeply before continuing at a breakneck pace.

"WeissIBelieveItWouldBeBothSensibleAndEnjoyableIfWeWereToEscalateOurInterpersonalStatusBasedUponAMutuallyConsentedTrialPeriodOfCourtship."

The words crashed into Weiss faster than she could parse them, but the final syllables rung clearly in her ears. She carefully placed her mug on the counter without moving her widened eyes away from Ruby. Her response was devoid of emotion.

"Did you say 'courtship'?"

"Affirmative." Ruby's eyes snapped shut as she braced for impact.

"I want to be your girlfriend."

Ruby felt a delicate touch on her hands. "Wait, what?" She opened her eyes to see Weiss' determined face inches away.

"I want to be your girlfriend, Ruby." She repeated the words she'd been waiting to say with a blunt, matter-of-fact tone.

Ruby could feel Weiss' rapid pulse in her fingertips. "YesPlease."

They leaned forward, and as their lips touched, their adrenaline levels spiked again. Their gentle kiss only lasted three seconds, but to them it felt like three minutes.

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**A/N: This one wrote itself, and it kept writing itself until the day was almost over! I probably spent more time than I should have choosing which obnoxious words I wanted Ruby to use. I expect this will be one of my longer entries.**

**Weiss being overly verbose when asking Ruby out is one of my favorite White Rose tropes, but given Ruby's attempt to impress Winter in Volume 3, it seemed reasonable that Ruby could actually end up being more long-winded than Weiss in a situation like this. I tinkered around with the theme of 'touch' for a while, and was approaching the end of the chapter somewhat unsatisfied with how I'd used it, but when I got to the final sentences, everything fell into place. I had initially only planned to use adrenaline at the start of the chapter as an excuse to justify the lengthy inner monologues, but while mulling over the phrasing of their kiss, I saw the opportunity to bring things full circle and use the theme as a punctuation in a way that I really enjoyed.**

**I hope that my writing was able to bring you some joy!**


	4. Chapter 3

**_Audience Prompt: Silver Eyes Strength_**

**_Admin Prompt: Breathless_**

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The pair slowly pulled back from their kiss, hands still clasped. They gawked in utter astonishment at what just happened, at what they had learned, and at what they had gained.

"Weiss… I… wow…" Ruby stifled a giggle, bringing motion to the silent air around them as she grinned widely. "That was awesome."

"Yeah. Wow." Weiss smiled dreamily, her voice blissful as she gazed adoringly into silver orbs. She was brought back into the moment when she saw a sudden change in their expression.

"My… my head feels like it's spinning." Ruby's hands trembled slightly and her smile wobbled.

Weiss watched her new girlfriend cautiously. "Spinning as in 'I feel bubbly and happy', or—".

"Spinning as in 'I'm getting lightheaded'." It was only then that she realized how quick and shallow her breathing had become. "I think I need to—". She felt Weiss helping her downward before she could finish making her request. "Thanks."

Once they were off their feet, they positioned their backs against a cabinet and pressed their shoulders against each other.

"Do you want some water? Or maybe some ice?" Weiss could tell that Ruby wasn't in critical condition, but couldn't prevent herself from feeling concerned.

"No, it's not too bad." Ruby's responded quietly, yet reassuringly as she leaned into Weiss' side. "I just need a few moments to catch my breath." Her easy smile stabilized despite her shaky inhaling and exhaling. "I think the combination of fighting a giant robot, then fighting a giant Grimm, and then kissing my crush all in a matter of hours finally caught up with me. But don't worry." She gingerly moved her thumb over the back of Weiss' hand. "Even if I'm a bit dizzy and winded, I feel really good right now."

"I'm glad, because I feel quite nice as well." The former heiress sighed tranquilly and shook her head. "It's incredible how strong you are. You know that right?"

Ruby perked up at the compliment. "Aww, you're going to make me blush!"

"Good. That means I'm doing my job as your girlfriend… I think?"

"Probably? I'm not really sure either. This whole 'girlfriend' thing is new to me."

"That makes two of us. No matter, I'm sure we'll figure it out. I wasn't trying to flatter you though. I truly hope you understand how strong you are. Not just physically, but mentally and emotionally too. You're able to wield a massive sniper-scythe with ease, you're a skilled leader both in and out of combat, you've overcome more than your fair share of hardship, you help bring people together, and you always think of others before yourself. Every single part of you is strong, Ruby. Heck, even your eyes are strong."

It wasn't until the end of Weiss' heartfelt speech that Ruby realized her breathing had returned to normal. "I bet my eyes will be stronger than ever now."

"What do you mean?"

"Even Maria doesn't totally understand why, but my eyes are powered by thinking about the people who love me, the way they make me feel, and the desire to protect life. Thinking about you was one of the things that helped me stun the Leviathan earlier today, and those emotions are only going to be stronger now."

Weiss found herself at a loss for words, opting to give Ruby's hand an encouraging squeeze in lieu of a verbal response.

Ruby playfully poked Weiss in the side and broke the lingering silence. "You still there?"

The response was immediate. Weiss' posture stiffened and she let out a tiny 'eep!' as her hands flew to the point of contact.

"Sorry! Did I hurt you?"

"N-no, I'm just a bit sensitive there."

"Oh, ok." Ruby paused and blinked. "Heyyy, wait a second." She turned her body towards Weiss. "Are you ticklish?" A mischievous grin betrayed her intentions.

"H-huh? No. No!" But it was too late. Ruby was already upon her, rapidly dancing her fingers over Weiss' stomach and sides. "Ah! AH! Hahaha! Ahahahahahaha! Ohmygosh ohmygosh! Rubyyyyyahahahaha! S-tttop hahaha ittt!" She giggled furiously as she made a futile attempt at using her arms to block Ruby off.

"Oh wow, you ARE ticklish! I can't believe you've been hiding this from me!"

"I h-h-hid it because -hahaha- because I knew _THIS _would hahahappen!" Weiss leaned away to try and put more distance between her and Ruby, but all that only resulted in her falling backward, becoming completely prone. Her laughing continued until her ability to speak became stifled. "Cut it out… laughing too hard… can't… breathe…" Under normal circumstances, she would be glaring daggers at anyone who dared to humiliate her like this, but with a giddy Ruby filling her vision, all she could do was smile.

Ruby giggled along. "I don't know. This is a lot of fun. If you want me to stop, you'll have to do something for me in return…"

"Fine! Anything!" Weiss wheezed, not bothering to think before responding.

"Yes!" Ruby raised her hands above her head triumphantly, freeing Weiss, who gasped for air, continuing to smile in defeat.

After she caught her breath, Weiss looked at Ruby with feigned concern. "So, what have I gotten myself into?"

"Weiss…" She paused dramatically, beaming as if she'd found a treasure trove filled with cookies. "I want you… to cuddle with me!"

"That's it?"

"Yep!"

"For future reference, you don't have to tickle-torture me to get me to agree to cuddling."

"YAAAAY!"

Ruby threw herself at Weiss, embracing her tightly. She felt Weiss return the hug instantly. After a few moments, they laid down. The mild discomfort of the hard floor beneath them was a small price to pay for the warmth of each other's arms. Weiss began delicately running the tips of her fingers through Ruby's hair. It was the first time she'd gotten more than an accidental touch of the dark locks. They were even softer than she'd expected.

"Sooo, what happens now?" Ruby asked with a somewhat lost tone while Weiss continued lazily combing her hair.

"What do you mean?"

"Now that we're officially girlfriends! What are we supposed to do? Like, apart from kissing and cuddling and stuff."

Weiss' eyebrows furrowed contemplatively. "Well, I suppose we go on dates?"

"We got lunch together three times and went shopping once while were in Haven. Kind of like that?"

"Yeah. When we get to Atlas, I'll show you some of my favorite restaurants. And don't worry there are plenty that aren't super stuffy."

"And I guess we'll spend more time together?"

"We're on a mission to literally save the world, we already spend almost every waking moment together."

"Oh yeah."

"We'll need to be constantly supportive, honest, and open to compromise."

"We've been that way for ages though."

"I suppose that's true."

Ruby looked distraught. "So we've basically been dating already, just without the kissing and cuddling! Quick, let's cuddle some more to make up for lost time!"

So they did.

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**A/N: I'm enjoying this more than I expected, which is resulting in me spending way more time trying (and failing) to be a perfectionist. Oh well, it's an adventure! As always, I hope my writing was able to bring you some joy!**


	5. Chapter 4

**_Audience Prompt: Jealous_**

**_Admin Prompt: Home_**

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Weiss and Ruby had been cuddling and quietly chatting for nearly a half hour. In the back of their minds, they were still aware of the harrowing week they'd survived and the potentially doomed mission they were on, but neither had to say they wanted to avoid those topics, it was a given. Besides, they had far more important things to discuss.

"I've been meaning to ask, you…" Weiss started with innocent curiosity. "What's your favorite type of cookie?" She asked as she reached into the box of treats that she and Ruby had momentarily interrupted their cuddling session to bring from the countertop down to the floor with them. She inspected the small, chocolate-coated morsel before popping it into her mouth.

"Oh, I could never choose one." Ruby's expression was similar to that of a mother asked to name their favorite child. "Cookies are as complex as wine, they just take less time to make, don't give you a hangover, and taste a million times better. It depends on the season, the baker, what's paired with it…"

"Cookies have pairings?" Weiss asked with the tone of a diligent student. She wasn't particularly interested in becoming a cookie gastronomist, but she was willing to engage in almost any conversation if it meant seeing Ruby talk passionately.

"Totally! Same concept as with wine and cheese, some combinations of flavors just taste better than others. Some go better with skim milk, some with whole, others are actually best with just water, and some reach the peak of their flavor if you eat a piece of fruit or ice cream with it instead of a drink."

"My girlfriend, the cookie scholar."

"Yep! But if I had to choose a favorite type of cookie right now, it'd be these ones here by a mile." Ruby took another bite, beaming at Weiss.

"Really? Dust Scout cookies are nice, but they're still factory made, and we aren't pairing them with anything, so what makes them better than, say, a cookie from the fanciest bakery in Mantle?"

"Of course they're paired with something!" Ruby said as she slipped the hand into Weiss', intertwining their fingers. "They're paired with you, automatically making them the best in the world!" She popped the rest of her cookie into her mouth and beamed, proud of her sappy comment.

"I walked right into that one."

"Doesn't make it any less true!"

"Fine. I'm inclined to agree that a cookie enjoyed with you is the best cookie in Remnant, but I'd like to find time to pair you with a cookie from a proper bakery."

"You won't have to twist my arm to get me to agree to that."

"I'm sure I won't. I'd also like to take you to go on a shopping date at my favorite clothing boutique."

"I'll help you pick out as many things for yourself as you want, but I probably won't try anything on. I'm guessing everything will be too fancy for my taste."

"I wouldn't be so sure. It's a combat skirt boutique." Weiss smirked lightheartedly.

"Nevermind! I'm trying on everything in my size!"

"I haven't even told you the best part yet. Every single piece they carry has _pockets_!"

"No. Way."

"Yes way! And their designs are gorgeous."

"Yay! I could really use a new combat skirt. I know I've only had this one for a few months, but sometimes it feels like I've been wearing it for more than three years." Ruby glanced down at her attire, which had somehow survived multiple large-scale battles with minimal damage. "I love the design, but it might be time to try something different."

"I'm sure you'll be turning heads regardless of what you wear. Just watch out for snobby aristocrats. Some of them have a tendency to think their money can buy literally anything and anyone."

"Uh ohhh! Do I need to worry about someone getting jealous?" Ruby wiggled her eyebrows jokingly.

Weiss rolled her eyes and let out a small scoff. "Don't be ridiculous. I think we've been through more than enough to not have those types of trust issues. I want you to watch out for them because what I _am_ worried about is Yang hospitalizing some highborn idiot for trying to hit on you. I'd prefer to keep our interaction with law enforcement to Winter and Ironwood."

"Oooh, good point. Yeah, I'll be careful."

"Wonderful. I don't expect us to run into creeps, but given our luck, I figured I should warn you."

"Have I told you that you're an awesome girlfriend? Because you're an awesome girlfriend." Ruby leaned in towards Weiss and gave her a quick peck on the lips before reaching towards her belt and positioned her face within inches of Weiss'. "Let's get our first official picture as a couple!" She pulled out her scroll pointed the camera towards them.

"What for? It's not like you can post it anywhere, the CCT is still down."

"I don't care about posting it, silly. It's for me! Say 'cookie'!"

Weiss was barely able to react in time, but she smiled just in time for the flash on Ruby's scroll to blink. The photo turned out surprisingly well, with Ruby grinning like her hyper-excited self and Weiss smiling with peaceful contentment.

"Perfect!" Ruby exclaimed as she began tapping on her scroll.

"What are you doing with it?"

"Putting it where I'll see it as often as possible!" She said, handing the scroll to Weiss. The same screen contained the same image as before, but with parts of it obscured by small icons. "My home screen!"

Weiss took another moment to look at the photo before she returned Ruby's scroll and produced her own.

"I want one too."

* * *

**A/N: As always, I hope my writing was able to bring you some joy. Thanks to everyone who has followed and fav'd so far! I'm approaching this impulsive project of mine with a staunch "I'm doing this for me, it's fine if nobody else likes it" mentality, but I have to admit that knowing people other than myself are enjoying my writing is even more gratifying than I'd anticipated.**

**This was the most difficult chapter to write so far by a large margin, primarily because of additional restrictions I put on myself. It is also the one I've used the themes the least in, so enjoy some extended notes!**

**From the start, I knew that I did not want to use the theme of jealousy to pit Ruby and Weiss against each other, and I forbade myself from discussing their home lives, geographic origins, or use the concept of 'wherever you are is home for me'. While those approaches have a significant amount of potential depth, I figured that many others would be writing stories from those angles far better than I could.**

**I tinkered with several ideas for 'jealousy', including having Weiss talk about wanting to go out of her way to make others jealous of Ruby as a form of putting her on a pedestal out of love, but I didn't think Weiss would want to call attention to herself or Ruby that way, at least not in Atlas. I also considered having them get into a compliment war and be playfully jealous of each other, but I thought that would just boil down to me trying to find different phrasing for the same types of compliments. Plus, I already had Weiss gush about how strong Ruby is in the last chapter. In the end, I felt that having the concept of them being romantically jealous brought up and swiftly shot down entirely was the most appropriate thing to do given my portrayal of their characters. Plus, the kicker of Weiss being concerned that Yang's reaction to someone hitting on Ruby would be worse than her own seemed fun.**

**For 'home', I thought of the 'home screen' idea relatively early and couldn't come up with anything that felt better given the scenery and previously mentioned limitations. I thought Ruby being eager to have a selfie with Weiss and then ending with Weiss wanting one too was sweet, and I was relatively confident that this use of 'home' would be unique.**

**These approaches for the themes left my chapter outline significantly shorter than I wanted, but it actually ended up working in my favor, as it gave me space to let the characters truly relax and be themselves for the first time after a VERY long day. It also let me reuse the cookies I placed in the kitchenette back in chapter one, and not having at least one mention of combat skirts felt like a crime.**


	6. Chapter 5

**_Audience Prompt: Ball/Dancing_**

**_Admin Prompt: Loss_**

* * *

One photo became a half dozen.

"These turned out great! I had no idea you were so good at taking selfies." Ruby said over her partner's shoulder as they viewed their results.

"It's all in the camera angle, and it helps when a really pretty girl with dark hair and silver eyes is in the frame."

Weiss finished setting her favorite photo as her scroll's background and rearranged several of the icons on her home screen so they framed the cheerful faces in the image. She was about to shut off the device, but stopped short when her eyes landed on an icon with music notes. "Hey, Ruby?" One of her hands floated upward and pinched a bit of her snowy hair as she turned to her partner. "Could I interest you in a dance?" She quickly glanced down and then up again as her cheeks took on a light shade of pink.

"Huh?" Ruby tilted her head slightly. "Dance?"

"Sorry. I know it's an odd thing to ask out of the blue." She twirled the bit of hair around her finger, looking sheepish. "This will probably sound weird, but I've wanted to dance with you for ages…"

"I don't think that'd be a very good idea. I'm just not much of a fancy pants-y dance-y girl."

"Ruby, I've seen you do multiple midair flips, maintain balance in close combat with the asymmetrically-weighted Crescent Rose, and you have no trouble navigating yourself when you use your semblance to spin around at absurd speeds. I'm confident that you can handle shuffling your feet back and forth. Plus, I'll be able to help you."

"But that's fighting. Dancing is completely different. It has beats and rules and I always feel awkward when I try…"

Weiss slid a hand into Ruby's and gently pressed their foreheads together. "Would you be willing to try it one more time? Please?" Her tone was gentle and encouraging.

Ruby let out a small whine as her face became the same color as her cloak. "That's not fair. How am I supposed to say no when you're being cute and flirty like that?"

Weiss nuzzled her nose against Ruby's. "For what it's worth, I'm going to have the exact same problem whenever you try to do this to me. Don't worry, it's just us in here." She stepped towards the nearby countertop and opened her scroll's music app before placing it beside her empty coffee mug. "I made a dance music playlist a while back, it's been ages since I listened to it though." Weiss rejoined Ruby as an orchestral melody began filling the small room. She carefully moved one of Ruby's hands to her waist and began moving her feet with the steady tempo.

Ruby instinctively stared at the ground, making sure her feet matched the clearly more experienced pair across from her. Weiss simply smiled and watched the crown of her girlfriend's head. "This is a waltz. All you need to do is think in sets of three. One, two, three. One, two three…"

Weiss kept them relatively stationary, allowing Ruby to familiarize herself with the movements. "There you go. Now keep moving your feet with that rhythm, but while looking at me." Ruby's eyes drifted upward to see Weiss glowing with pride and delight. "There you go. Just follow my lead."

Once Ruby nodded in acknowledgement, Weiss began to shift her weight, subtly pushing and pulling in time with the music. After a few measures, Ruby's shoulders lowered in relaxation and she became decreasingly aware of her feet's motions. They glided around the airship's kitchenette together, allowing themselves to get lost in the music and each other's eyes.

Ruby spoke quietly, not wanting to overpower the music. "Well, at least I haven't stepped on your feet yet. Am I doing alright?"

"You're perfect. I hope this isn't too miserable for you?"

"It's not so bad. Maybe I just didn't have the right dance partner until now."

Sensing her partner's growing confidence, Weiss allowed her motions to become slightly more dramatic, occasionally bending Ruby slightly backward and guiding her through a twirl as the music swelled. As Ruby completed her rotation, she leaned in and placed her lips on Weiss'. Their feet slowed to a halt as they kissed, and the music began to fade.

"Thanks for giving it a chance. Any chance I might be able to convince you to dance with me again sometime?" Weiss asked hopefully.

"I'd say your chances are pretty good, that was fun."

"I think you'd really enjoy Tango. It's high-energy and—"

They both flinched as their conversation was interrupted by the abrupt start of a new song. Instead of flowing instrumentals, this one featured a poppy beat and a female vocalist.

_~~~BABY! IT'S TIME TO MAKE UP YOUR MIIIIIIIIND!~~~_

Two pairs of wide eyes met. Ruby's appeared to be in shock. Weiss' looked distraught.

Weiss' shaky, panic-stricken voice barely made it to Ruby over the music.

"I forgot this song was on the playlist."

_~~~I THINK! THAT TONIGHT IS WHEN OUR STARS ALIIIIIIIIGN!~~~_

Ruby felt hot tears forming in her eyes and saw that Weiss was experiencing the same thing. She managed to form a few words.

"Turn it off. Please."

_~~~HONEY! IT'S TIME TO LEAVE THE DOUBT BEHIIIIIIIIND!~~~_

Weiss bolted over to the counter and fumbled with the scroll, her misty eyes reducing her visibility.

_~~~TAKE MY HAND CAUSE YOU AND I ARE GONNA—_

The music cut off as suddenly as it had started, leaving only the sound of stifled crying in the air. When Weiss turned to Ruby again, they both had tears streaming down their faces. They hugged each other tightly and began openly weeping.

"I'm so sorry. I forgot that song was there. I haven't listened to that playlist since Beacon." Weiss apologized between sobs.

"It's not your fault. It's not your fault at all. It's on my scroll too. I've actually tried listening to it a few times, but I still can't get through it. I can't hear it without thinking of that night. Of the four of them dancing together. Of Penny in the corner, doing the robot." Ruby was physically trembling, emotions overwhelming her.

"I've made peace with the fact that they're gone. I'm even at the point where I don't cry time I think or talk about them. But it still happens a lot, and that caught me off guard. I want to be able to smile when I think of them. I want to think of the amazing times we had together. But it's so difficult because I miss them so, _so_ much."

"I know. I do too. It _hurts._ It hurts every time I think about them."

They spent several minutes embracing and letting themselves cry, occasionally murmuring words of comfort. When they finally calmed down and pulled away from each other, they wiped their eyes and held hands.

"That dance didn't end quite how I wanted it to." Weiss admitted disappointedly. "But at least we were able to cry together. It was certainly better than all the nights I cried alone in my room before I escaped."

"That didn't end how I wanted it to either. I guess that means we'll have to dance together again sometime soon." Ruby offered, pressing her forehead lightly against Weiss'.

"I guess so. Thank you." Weiss gently placed a hand on Ruby's cheek, wiping away the last of her tears before bringing her in for a soft kiss.

"You know, I think they'd be really happy for us." Ruby said, her natural smile returning to her lips.

"I'm sure they would be." Weiss said confidently. "So we should shine. For them, and for ourselves."

* * *

**A/N: This chapter is being released much later than I'd hoped, not due to writer's block or laziness, but because the past several days were far busier than expected for me. Since I decided to try my hand at White Rose Week a few hours after the first day started, I wrote my first five fanfiction chapters in a bit more than four days, with nothing prepared in advance. If I do this again next year, I'll probably writ at least a bit ahead of time so I can have a better chance of being able to reliably post a chapter each day. Regardless, I still have every intention of completing the remaining prompts in the next few days, and I already have basic outlines for all of them. I hope those of you that are reading as chapters are being released will continue to follow me on this journey.**

**As soon as I read the prompts, I knew exactly what I wanted the major beats of the chapter to be. Ruby and Weiss dancing happily, only to be hit by the emotional freight train that is "Shine", and to have the chapter's resolution be one of catharsis. I mostly enjoy writing fluff, but I like the occasional gut punch as well, so long as it ends in a fluffy way, because it makes the sweetness even sweeter. It's really strange to go back to Volume 2 and see how far the series has come in terms of character development, plot depth, and animation quality.**

**Thank you to everyone who has read, fave'd/kudo'd, followed/favorited, commented/reviewed. As always, I hope my writing was able to bring you some joy!**


	7. Chapter 6

**_Audience Prompt: (Meeting) Family/Parents_**

**_Admin Prompt: Recovery_**

* * *

In an effort to restore their expended energy and hydration, Weiss and Ruby made themselves some more coffee. Ruby's right hand and Weiss' left were on the kitchenette's countertop, fingers interlaced, and the two lightly clinked the mugs in their free hands together before taking their first sips.

They were about to continue their conversation when they heard an unexpected 'click' come from the nearby door, which swiftly opened to reveal Yang, who looked into the room with mild surprise.

"Oh, so this is where you two—whoa, there's coffee here?!" Yang quickly closed the door behind her and made a beeline for the coffee machine. "Thank goodness there's some packets left. I just woke up, but I'm still exhausted." She began rummaging though the cabinets in search of a clean mug. "We should save some for Blake too. She woke up for a bit when I did, since we fell asleep back-to-back, but she just slumped against the wall and was out again five seconds later."

"There's plenty to go around. The coffee isn't stellar, but it's got caffeine." Weiss remarked before taking another sip.

"And after the day we've had, that's all I need!" Yang said, starting the coffee maker before turning to her teammates. "How about the two of you? Holding up alright?" Her voice had a tone of sisterly concern that Ruby was all too familiar with.

"Yeah, we're doing alright." Ruby muttered, her lips widening slightly as her eyes met Yang's. "It was a long day, but we were able to come out on top without losing anyone, and that's all that matters."

"You got that right, sis! Speaking of coming out, when did you two lovebirds finally realize you both had massive crushes on each other?" Yang asked with a casual smirk.

Ruby and Weiss' jaws dropped.

"Huh?! Where did that come from?" Ruby asked defensively. Weiss, on the other hand, stayed silent, not wanting to say something that might anger Yang, in case she had to win the brawler's approval.

Yang looked at Ruby incredulously. "Seriously, Ruby? I'm not sure who the 'brains' of the team is, but I know it's not me. Even so, I'm not stupid."

"I know you're not, but how did you know we're going out? I mean, uhhhh, what makes you think that we're going out?"

"Give it up, Ruby. She knows." Weiss said hopelessly. "But how _do _you know, Yang?"

"Hmmmmm. Whatever could have tipped me off?" Yang faked a look of innocent thoughtfulness. "Maybe the fact that you two have been holding hands since before I walked in?" She pointed at the area of the countertop between Weiss and Ruby, where their hands were indeed still joined.

Ruby and Weiss stared at their hands and then each other.

"Oops." Ruby said clumsily.

Weiss let out a sigh of exasperation before giving Ruby's hand a small squeeze. "Well, that's not exactly how I wanted to let you know, but here we are. Yes, Yang, I'm dating your sister." She said resolutely.

Yang gave them a toothy grin. "Good recovery, Weiss. That's what I like to hear! If you're going to date Ruby, you better be confident and freaking _proud_ of it! So, how long have you two been together?"

"About an hour, I think." Ruby volunteered, shrugging awkwardly.

Yang snickered with amusement. "Wow, you two are lucky I was the one who walked in here and not Qrow. Or even worse, _Nora_."

"So you're alright with it?" Ruby asked hopefully.

"Why wouldn't I be?" Yang scoffed playfully. "Did you think I'd have a problem with you having a girlfriend or something? Dad raised us better than that. Plus, Weiss is probably the best person in the world for you to date!" Yang.

"You really think that?" Weiss said, genuinely flattered. "Wow, that actually means a lot to me, Yang."

Yang retained her sunny disposition as she walked across the room and placed her metal hand on Weiss' shoulder. "Of course! I know that you'll literally protect Ruby with your life and that you'll treat her like a true partner in every way."

Weiss beamed.

"Plus, we're probably going to be traveling together for a while, so I'll be able to keep an eye on you."

Weiss grinned nervously as she felt Yang's grip tighten on her shoulder. Yang's smile remained sweet. Too sweet.

"And most importantly, you and I know each other well enough for you to understand that when I say _'If you hurt my little sister in any way, I'll punch you hard enough to shatter every bone in your body and then feed you to the nearest pack of Grimm' _that I really, truly mean it!"

It took effort for Weiss to not wince at Yang's threat or from the pressure of her iron grip, but she managed to keep a straight face and slowly nod.

"Yaaaaang, please don't scare my girlfriend." Ruby frowned and gently kicked the side of Yang's boot.

"No can do, Rubes! As a big sister, it's my responsibility to make a standing threat against anyone you date, even if I do genuinely approve of them and think you're great for each other." Yang winked as she let go of Weiss' shoulder.

"It's fine Ruby. You should be ready for Winter to make a similar threat, but hers will probably substitute a punch and a pack of Grimm for the full might of the Atlesian army."

"YAAAANG! PLEASE PROTECT ME!"

Yang cackled. "No can do, Rubes! As a big sister, it's my responsibility to not get in the way of other big sisters making standing threats against anyone their sisters date!"

"Noooooooo!" Ruby wailed with despair.

"Anywayyyy…" Yang brushed off Ruby's terror and looked at the couple supportively. "You'll need to tell Blake sometime today, or I'll tell her. We're still teammates, and this is an important development. But I won't tell anyone else, not even dad or Qrow. You can let them know at your own pace."

Weiss nodded with an appreciative smile. "That's fair. We'll tell her when she wakes up."

"Good. In that case, I'll leave you two adorkable disasters alone so you can be cutesy and stuff. I'll even watch the door so you don't have to worry about anyone walking in on you again." Ruby and Weiss blushed as Yang grabbed her filled mug from the coffee machine and headed towards the exit. "Later!"

Yang closed the door as she departed, leaving Ruby and Weiss in the exact same position as when she entered.

Weiss was the first to speak. "That admittedly went better than I expected. Yang's a great sister, you're lucky to have her."

"Yeah, I am. And I'm lucky to have you too. Is Winter actually going to threaten me with military force though?"

"Almost certainly."

"Would she even have the authority to do something like that?"

"If she's able to provide a reason worthy of troop deployment, yes. She'd probably frame you for a war crime or something."

"Winter's a great sister, but she's also terrifying."

"She is. She really, really is."

* * *

A/N: White Rose Week 2019 might be over, but this story is not! My schedule made it essentially impossible to get everything done in time, but I hope you'll continue to follow me to the end.

I initially planned to keep the entire work to just Ruby and Weiss, but the temptation of using Yang to catch them holding hands and threaten Weiss was too great to resist.

Thank you to everyone who has read, fave'd/kudo'd, followed/favorited, commented/reviewed. If any of you have any favorite parts, I'd love to hear about them. As always, I hope my writing was able to bring you some joy!


	8. Chapter 7

**_Audience Prompt: "Thank Me Later"_**

**_Admin Prompt: Promise_**

* * *

After finishing their second round of coffee, Ruby washed their mugs and set them aside to dry before taking Weiss' hand again.

"I could get used to this." Ruby said quietly.

"Get used to what?"

"Holding hands with you. It's just really nice, being able to sort of default to this." Ruby leaned her shoulder into Weiss, who didn't seem to mind at all.

"I'll admit it's even more enjoyable than I'd expected." Weiss shifted her weight so they were comfortably counterbalancing each other. "Ruby…" She continued with a relaxed tone. "I've been thinking about that fight on the Argus Limited, when you used saved me from falling off the train."

"What about it?"

"I've been trying to think of ways to thank you."

"Oh, that? It was nothing! I don't think I ever thanked you for keeping that Grimm from blindsiding me a few minutes before that!"

"I'm pretty sure you'd have been fine even if got hit. I just said 'thank me later' because I was trying to be flirtatious. I didn't mean that you actually owed me, nor did I think that I had done anything truly worth repaying."

"Maybe, but I still want to thank you." She said, giving Weiss a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Trust me, you've already done more than enough to repay my lame rescue attempt." Weiss blushed and returned the peck. "But I still want to do something for you, something special, but I haven't been able to think of anything."

"Hmm. Well, you did mention something about 'the finest bakery in all of Mantle'. I think that would be pretty special." Ruby nuzzled against Weiss' neck.

Weiss' eyes lit up at the suggestion. "If that's what you want, consider it done. I'll start making the arrangements as soon as we land!"

"Yay! I can't wait to see it!"

"We'll definitely want to keep the current management, they're lovely people and know how to run a business, but if you'd like to have the name changed, I don't think they'd mind." Weiss looked thoughtful as she twirled a few stands of Ruby's hair around her finger.

"I definitely want to try their chocolate chip… wait what?" Ruby paused and looked at Weiss' excited face in bewilderment.

"I feel like 'Ruby's Bakery' is a bit too on the nose, but perhaps 'Rose Petal Bakery'? 'White Rose Bakery' has a nice ring to it as well. We could even add special menu items, or special order names. They serve coffee in addition to their pastries, so 'The Ruby Special' could be a house blend coffee with cream and five sugars, plus a cookie!"

"Wait, wait! Hold on. Weiss, what are you talking about?"

"The bakery, of course. What else would I be talking about?"

"We might be talking about different things, Weiss."

"I'm talking about the finest bakery in Mantle."

"Yes."

"The one you said you wanted as a thank you gift."

Ruby burst into laughter. "I meant that you could thank me by buying me a cookie or something from the bakery, not the bakery itself!" Ruby lightly palmed herself in the face and shook her head.

"Oh…" Weiss visibly deflated. "That works too, I guess." She mumbled with a combination of embarrassment and disappointment. "And I was already thinking we could make it a franchise and open our second location in Patch."

"Weiss, you're the best, but please don't buy me a bakery. We kind of have to save the world, and as much as I love cookies, I don't want you being distracted with franchising contracts while we're searching for the rest of the relics."

"I'm sure I'd be able to balance everything, it wouldn't be that—"

"Weiss, I can't believe I'm saying this, but promise me you won't buy me a bakery as a thank you present." Ruby grinned.

"…Fine, I promise." Weiss sighed, but smiled back at her girlfriend.

"Good. Now then, I think we should probably get back to the others. If Yang's up and guarding the door for too long, the others might get suspicious of us."

"I suppose so." Weiss squeezed Ruby's hand and frowned a bit. "Part of me wishes we could just stay here forever, talking, holding hands, kissing, and drinking coffee and eating cookies."

"Yeah. It feels like it's been ages since we could just relax like this. And now that we're _together_, I just want this feel like this all the time. But I don't think we'll be able to reach our full potential as people or as a couple if we stay cooped up in an airship kitchenette."

"What did I do to deserve such a beautiful, thoughtful girlfriend like you?"

"I don't know, probably whatever I did to deserve landing a gorgeous, witty girlfriend like you."

They embraced and kissed for several long seconds, just enjoying the feeling of being in each other's arms and the sensation of their lips pressing against each other. When they finished they released their hands and smiled at each other.

"We need to let Blake in on everything, but let's wait a bit before holding hands in front of everyone else." Weiss said quietly. "Of course, we'll still cuddle and kiss every night, but today has been crazy enough, and I don't want to have to deal with the reactions Nora and your uncle are probably going to have when we tell them we're going out."

"Yeah, that makes sense. I think we can wait a while to tell them, as long as I don't have to wait too long before kissing you again."

"Trust me, I doubt could last a day without it if I tried."

Ruby and Weiss nodded at each other before opening the door to the kitchenette and walking out to the main cabin of the airship. Nora, Ren, and Oscar were passed out against one wall, but Blake and Yang were both awake, sitting on the opposite side of the ship from the sleeping trio, chatting quietly. Yang nudged Blake as she noticed their teammates walking towards them.

"Hi Ruby, hi Weiss." Blake whispered, giving them a small wave.

"Hey Blake." Ruby responded.

"Yang and I want to catch you up on what happened while you were dealing with Cordo. We had an ordeal of our own."

Ruby nodded with a calm smile. "Of course, but before that, we have something to tell you too…"

"And we'd prefer to tell you before the others wake up. Can we talk privately for a minute? There's coffee in here, if you'd like some." Weiss finished, gesturing to the room they had just emerged from.

Yang smiled and nodded at Blake knowingly.

"Ok, you two can go first." Blake said with a comforting expression as she stood up.

The trio returned to the kitchenette. Once they were inside, Ruby and Weiss held hands again and told Blake everything.

* * *

**A/N: I'll admit that this is the chapter I feel the least confident about publishing. It took longer to write than any other chapter, because once again I didn't want to go with approaches that I felt were a bit too obvious. I spent days trying to figure out how I wanted to use the themes, repeatedly hitting dead ends. Once I had a concept I liked, I was able to write the entire chapter in a matter of hours. When I finished writing what I had, I realized that this was shorter than my other chapters, and part of me wanted to force more, but I felt that would just make the writing worse. In other chapters, I've written more than I meant to because I really got into things, and while I'm still very much into writing this, the chapter just felt like it was cleanest if it was shorter. Part of me still isn't completely satisfied with how it turned out, but I wanted to force myself to publish the chapter before the end of the weekend to avoid an unending loop of self-analysis paralysis.**

**I couldn't find a way to use 'thank me later' in a way that I liked, so I decided to do what I've done several other times: Have a conversation spawn from them reminiscing on canonical events. As for the 'promise', I absolutely didn't want it to be anything along the lines of personal commitment, so I worked backwards, trying to think of the silliest promise that one of them could make. I felt that Weiss would probably have a high personal standard for thanking someone, and that she'd have a natural tendency for showing her gratitude in material ways. When I remembered 'the finest bakery in Mantle' that I made up several chapters ago, everything fell into place almost instantly.**

**Fortunately, I don't anticipate having nearly as much trouble writing the final 'free day' chapter. About halfway through writing chapter 1, an idea occurred to me for how to end the story, one that wouldn't impact my writing of the other chapters, but would result in my desired endgame. Since the framework is already in place, I hope to be able to publish the finale within a few days. I'll even leave you with a teaser: The epilogue takes place five years after the defeat of Salem, and I'm planning on firing the fluff cannons at full power as I bring together elements from the previous chapters!**

**Thank you to everyone who has read, fave'd/kudo'd, followed/favorited, commented/reviewed. If any of you have any favorite parts, I'd love to hear about them. As always, I hope my writing was able to bring you some joy!**


	9. Epilogue

**_Self-Given Prompt: Callbacks to Prior Prompts_**

* * *

Ruby's head popped off of her pillow.

She jumped out of the large, half-empty bed and began preparing for the day with an even wider smile than usual. As she put on her newest combat skirt, she looked at the now entirely empty bed fondly, giggling mirthfully at how tidy Weiss' side was compared to her own. After checking her pockets to ensure she had her scroll and everything else she needed for the day, she exited the room, closing the door behind herself.

Weiss was already downstairs eating breakfast and sending emails.

"I informed the board of directors weeks ago that I would be out today! I even sent them reminders yesterday. Can't they survive twenty four hours without me?!" Weiss mumbled with frustration as she sent off yet another memo to people she would be having stern conversations with tomorrow. Her hostile buyout of the Schnee Dust Company a few months after the defeat of Salem had proven quite simple after a scathing exposé came out detailing numerous labor and ethics violations that the company had committed in the past several years, along with thorough documentation of her father's knowledge and active approval of the violations. An exposé that Weiss most certainly not responsible for compiling and leaking, or at least, that's what she told media outlets that inquired about it. Regardless of who the (obviously noble, talented, and beautiful) person behind it was, it obliterated her father's reputation and sent the company into disarray. From there, leveraging the personal assets she had along with the notoriety from her involvement in the war against Salem, convincing the board of directors to accept her buyout was child's play.

Weiss smirked to herself. Even though running the company was a significant time commitment and she still had some problematic individuals to weed out, it was worth it. The only thing that she held as a higher priority in her life was—

"Good morning!" A singsong voice called out, and Ruby skipped into the kitchen, shattering any SDC-related thoughts from Weiss' mind.

"Good morning, Ruby." Weiss responded, her prior tension melting away as she closed her laptop and stood so she could give Ruby a gentle hug and kiss on the lips. "I'll prepare your coffee." She said, taking her seat again and reaching for the pitcher in the middle of the table.

"Only after I'm done refilling yours!" Ruby said defiantly as she quickly sat down and snatched the pitcher before Weiss could get to it. She gave Weiss a toothy grin as she topped off the white mug on the other side of the table. She was never content with letting Weiss dote on her unless she was able to able to return the favor.

"Very well." Weiss said playfully as she took the pitcher and proceeded to fill the empty red mug across from her, adding in cream and five sugars before nudging it with one finger toward Ruby.

"Thanks Weiss! It always tastes better when you pour it." Ruby said with a grin as she picked up her mug and held it outward. "Cheers! To our girlfriend-iversary!"

"Cheers. To us." Weiss clinked her mug against Ruby's and they both took their first sips, enjoying a quiet moment to stare at each other.

"So, you're sure Nora can run your shop for the day without accidentally setting off one of the hundreds of weapons on display?" She asked, only half joking as she broke the silence.

"Oh come on, she's not THAT much of a loose cannon anymore." Ruby waved Weiss off casually. "Plus, Ren is there with her. I'm sure they'll be fine."

"If you say so. I just don't want our day together to be interrupted by Ren calling you with the news that your shop has a giant hole in the wall."

"Relax, Weiss. We have too much planned today for you to waste time worrying about that type of thing anyways. And if you want to check the place for damage yourself, we can switch places tomorrow. You'll run the shop for the day, and I'll run the SDC and all your fancy-schmancy meetings!"

"As amusing as it is to imagine the department managers trying to keep up with your energy, I think we both remember the last time you tried to act like me, and I think they're a bit too stuffy to appreciate your brand of leadership."

"I think that means you need new department managers!"

"To be honest, I've been thinking the same thing. I'll probably be looking for at least a few new ones starting tomorrow. Would you be interested in running a leadership workshop for all the department managers once I've finished the hiring a few new ones?"

"I'd be happy to, but my fee is ten kisses per hour and must be paid out directly by the CEO."

"Your terms are steep, but acceptable. My people will call your people. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a very important appointment downtown." Weiss gave Ruby a playful wink as she stood and walked toward the kitchen. She placed her empty mug in the sink and gave her combat skirt's pocket a quick pat with her free hand, checking that she had her wallet and other essentials.

"I must be going as well." Ruby called out. "I've got a date with a pretty girl!" She chugged the last of her sweet drink before running over to Weiss. "Hi there, pretty girl!" She said cutely.

The couple giggled at each other as they exited their penthouse apartment and walked into a well-decorated hallway. A short elevator ride later, they were on the sidewalk of Vale's main street. The city had been rebuilt following the defeat of Salem at the hands of Team RWBY and their allies. While the general public was aware that Team RWBY had a hand in helping finally rid Remnant of Salem, they were far from the only huntresses who fought in the war, and they had kept the extent of their personal hardships to themselves. As a result, they held the comfortable status of hometown heroes and respected huntresses, but not the weight of superstar celebrities, meaning they were able to make their way down the sidewalk with their arms linked, enjoying the crisp morning air without being hassled.

As they walked, Weiss glanced over at Ruby, taking in her profile. Even from the side, her silver eyes sparkled with life and light. She got an even better view of them as Ruby turned to her. She could almost feel the power of the silver orbs staring into her blue ones. Or perhaps that was just the sensation of butterflies in her chest. She didn't really mind either way.

"I still can't believe you got us VIP invites to the grand opening of the new bakery in town!" Ruby said as she gave Weiss' arm an excited shake. "It's right next to my shop, so I've been watching the construction for the past few months. I some state-of-the-art ovens getting carried in, and they got a shipment of comfy-looking furniture just last week. I can't wait to see what it looks like now that it's finished!"

"I'm excited for you to see it as well. I have a feeling you'll really like it." Weiss said as they turned a corner.

"I'm sure I will, I've never been to a bakery that I didn't—" Ruby stopped walking and gasped loudly.

They had arrived.

A hundred feet away, their destination was nestled between their favorite combat skirt boutique, _Dressed to Kill,_ and Ruby's weapon shop, which she'd affectionately named _It's Also a Gun._ The bakery's large glass windows had been covered with sheets of brown paper throughout the construction process, preventing Ruby from peeking inside, despite her best efforts. The paper was now gone, but she wasn't able to see most of the interior decoration due to the number of people that were already in the building.

Above the entrance was a sign that hadn't been there the day before. On each side was a large, ornate flower. Filigree trimming extended from the base of each bloom, resembling intertwined roots, forming the bottom of the sign's frame. The establishment's name was proudly displayed between the flowers in swooping cursive font.

_White Rose Bakery & Cafe_

"Wh-what? Is this…? Did you…? But, how…?" Ruby whispered breathlessly, her eyes still fixated on the sign.

"With great deal of time and planning, but I can already tell it was worth it." Weiss responded quietly.

"Didn't I make you promise to _not_ buy me a bakery?" Ruby put her hands on her hips with a sassy, but not quite upset tone as she turned to her girlfriend.

Weiss grinned triumphantly. "You made me promise that I wouldn't buy you a bakery _as a thank you gift_. I made no promises about not buying a bakery because I know it would make the girl I love happy and because I think it would be a good investment anyway."

"I should have known you'd use a technicality like that." Ruby wrapped her arms around Weiss. "I love you."

"I love you too." Weiss said quietly she leaned in and gave Ruby a quick kiss.

"But you don't know the first thing about starting or running a bakery! And I _know_ you couldn't have overseen this while running the SDC. Who helped you?"

Weiss tilted her head and grinned. "In a way, you did."

"I think I'd remember helping you with something like this!" Ruby said, gesturing grandly at the building.

"Well, you helped me pick the people who helped me. Although you didn't really know you were helping pick them." Weiss twirled some of her long hair around her index finger as she smiled blissfully at Ruby, taking in her girlfriend's reaction. "Do you remember that taste testing I took you to at the SDC headquarters about a year ago?"

"How could I forget?!" Ruby said enthusiastically. "We spent an entire Saturday tasting cookies, cakes... pastries and… coffee…" Her eyes widened a bit as she began to piece things together. "But you said I was helping decide who would get a catering contract with the SDC!"

"That much was true, and they've already catered several events for the company. I just left out the fact that the chefs that day were also competing for something else." Weiss' smile became mischievous. "The opportunity to design and run a new bakery in downtown Vale."

"Does that mean the chefs who baked the chocolate chip cookie that made me cry because it tasted so good…?"

"Are inside, probably putting a fresh batch in the display case."

"You're incredible." Ruby held Weiss tightly. "Just how long have you been planning this?" She asked with cheerful curiosity.

"Ever since that day on the airship. I knew we'd have to finish the whole 'save the world' thing before I could put my plan into motion, but that just meant I had a lot of time to think through the details." Weiss responded lovingly and slid her hands around Ruby's waist. "Shall we go inside?"

"We shall, but not yet!" Ruby said as she pulled out her scroll. "This is totally a 'home screen' moment!"

The two of them had continuously updated their home screens whenever they did something particularly fun or special together, with the most recent picture being from their visit to Blake and Yang's house in Menagerie. They snapped a quick photo and changed the settings on their scrolls before linking arms again and walking past the red and white balloons next to the front door.

When they entered, they were greeted by the scent of confectioner's sugar and the gentle sound of upbeat music. To their left, a small line led to a pair of cash registers that were attached to fully stocked display cases and a bar that extended the length of the wall. Lively girls wearing pink aprons were taking orders, grabbing pastries, and making coffee. Lacquered wood tables and cushioned chairs took up roughly two-thirds of the dining area. Couches and large coffee tables filled the remaining space, creating a communal lounge area.

As Ruby and Weiss approached the display cases, a woman approximately the same age as them walked out of a door behind the bar. The tall brunette had pale skin, purple eyes, and was wearing a chef's hat. When Weiss waved at her, the woman's expression lit up and she quickly poked her head back into the kitchen. A moment later, another woman with fair skin, light brown eyes, and wavy blonde hair appeared. The two held hands as they walked out from behind the counter.

"Weiss! Ruby! It's so good to see you!" The purple-eyed woman said warmly.

"Hi!" Ruby said, looking both excited and slightly embarrassed. "I'm really, really sorry, but I can't remember your names." She admitted.

The other chef smiled and waved her hand nonchalantly. "Don't worry, I don't think we even properly introduced ourselves at the tasting last year. I'm Madeleine, and this is my wife, Claire!"

"It's nice to meet you both again. This place is amazing." Ruby said, still in awe of her surroundings.

"The pleasure is all ours." Claire said, giving Madeleine's hand a squeeze. "We're so happy that we can finally share our cooking with the rest of Vale."

"Not to mention finally sharing the name of the place! Miss Snow-Angel-Investor over here really didn't want you finding out about her little scheme." Madeleine smirked and nodded in Weiss' direction. "We had to sign some intense nondisclosure agreements!"

Ruby rolled her eyes and nudged her girlfriend. "Sorry about that. Business Weiss can be kind of scary sometimes."

"Only when it's important business." Weiss blushed as she leaned slightly into Ruby before turning to the couple "And you both did a wonderful job with the preparations. I'm sure this place will be a complete success." She looked at them with sincere confidence.

"That means a lot to us." Claire said, her gaze drifting toward the brown eyes beside her. "We hope to be running it for a very long time."

"And we should probably get back to running it, but let me show you to your table first." Madeleine gestured for Ruby and Weiss to follow her as Claire returned to the front counter.

They made their way to the back wall, where a single unoccupied table was waiting with a small sign that said 'Reserved' in the same cursive font as the bakery's logo.

"Here you are." Madeleine said, plucking the sign from the table just as Claire reappeared with two large cookies held in parchment paper.

"And these are for you. If you want anything else, just let us know!" She handed the warm treats over before glancing lovingly at Madeleine. "Come on, sweetie."

"Right behind you, sugar." The other chef responded. The pair waved goodbye to Ruby and Weiss as they departed.

Ruby waved back at them until they weren't looking at her anymore. "This is all so perfect." Ruby mused as they took their seats. "The food, the atmosphere, the location, and the chefs are a couple too. What are the odds?"

"One hundred percent." Weiss responded with a simple shrug.

"Hmm?" Ruby raised an inquisitive eyebrow as she took a large bite of her cookie.

Weiss smiled adoringly as she used her thumb to wipe a stray crumb from the corner of Ruby's mouth. "You must have been too blinded by all the food at the tasting to notice that the chefs who served us were always in pairs. And were all women." She smiled lightheartedly. "I wanted this bakery to represent us in every way possible, so I did my research when selecting candidates for the tasting. All of the chefs that day were couples, so the odds of you selecting a couple to run the bakery was one hundred percent."

Ruby gulped down the mouthful of cookie. "You really did think of everything, didn't you?" She whispered happily.

"I certainly tried to. No amount of effort is too much if it's for you, Ruby." Weiss said lovingly. Under the table, she quietly slid her right hand into the pocket of her combat skirt.

Ruby blushed and took another large bite of her cookie. As she chewed, she became aware of the music playing in the bakery again.

_~~~I won't need any dreams, it's all there if you're by my side~~~_

A small shiver of tension went through her body. At some point, the bakery's cheerful playlist had arrived at a familiar tune and gotten all the way to its bridge without her realizing it. She and Weiss had managed to listen to the song a number of times over the past several years. In the weeks leading up to their final battle with Salem, they had made it a personal goal to listen to the piece in its entirety. A goal they accomplished.

However, that didn't mean their goal had been to make it through without crying. They knew they song would be an emotional one for them, but they sought to change it from a specter that haunted them into a memorial of sorts. But, every time they had listened to it, they did so intentionally. They had never encountered it by accident before, much less in public.

_~~~Every moment's enough, and you take me to paradise~~~_

Weiss noticed Ruby's expression and the song almost simultaneously. "Oh my gosh." She whispered frantically, her face going even paler than usual as she jumped out of her seat. "I swear I didn't tell them to play this. Stay here, I'll have them change it immediately." He combat skirt flared as she turned toward the bar.

_~~~When I needed a hero, you knew it, and you were there~~~_

"Wait."

Ruby's voice was steady as she grabbed Weiss' wrist, intercepting her before she could take her first step. "It's fine. I'm fine. I'd… like to listen to it with you."

_~~~And I'm scared, but I'll open my heart up, I'm ready to dare~~~_

Weiss look at Ruby with astonishment. "Are you sure?"

"I am."

_~~~I know I've never felt like this before~~~_

"Alright." Weiss pulled her arm gently, sliding her wrist through Ruby's fingers until their hands met. "I'm here for you."

_~~~I never really knew what love was for~~~_

"I know you are." Ruby whispered as Weiss took her seat again.

_~~~I dreamed, but never did believe~~~_

They then did something they had never done before.

_"But baby, it's time to make up your mind."_

Their singing was barely above a whisper, only loud enough the two of them to hear amongst the bustling chatter of the other customers.

_"I think that tonight is when our stars align."_

They saw tears in each other's eyes, but the tears were happy. Triumphant.

_"Honey, it's now we leave the doubt behind."_

They moved their free hands together, interlocking both pairs over the small table.

_"Take my hand, cause you and I are gonna light the sky up till it's dawn, and baby, you and I are gonna shine."_

Ruby and Weiss continued holding hands as the song faded, finally separating them so they could dry their eyes and finish their cookies.

"Thanks, Weiss." Ruby said before sighing cathartically. "This place is amazing, but I could really use some fresh air right now. Can we go for a walk?"

"Fresh air sounds wonderful." Weiss nodded in agreement as she stood and offered Ruby her hand once more.

The two waved to Claire and Madeleine as the left the bakery and took another moment to look at the sign outside of it before starting to walk around the city.

Their conversation didn't have any particular direction, nor did their feet. They simply enjoyed the sunny morning and each other's company.

"My feet are beginning to hurt." Weiss commented after they had been walking for nearly an hour. "Let's find a place to sit for a while."

"Yeah, my feet are starting to get tired as well." Ruby glanced around, approximating their location. "Oh! I know where we can go!" She scooped Weiss off her feet with a broad grin. "Ready?"

Weiss clutched Ruby's sleeves as she braced herself for what she knew was about to happen. "Ready."

A moment later, the world was a blur around her. A few moments after that, the world came back into focus, and she knew exactly where they were. She didn't even need to look down to know that she was being lowered onto a seat.

They were in a large, circular courtyard, sitting in one of the sturdy wooden benches that lined the perimeter of the otherwise open space. Gray slate covered the ground beneath them, as well as the walkways extending from opposite sides of the circle. One path went back to the city, and the other extended toward a collection of castle-like buildings, several of which were obviously newer than others. An insignia with two crossed axes emblazoned the center of the area.

"It's been a while since we've come here." Weiss said nostalgically.

They were in the front courtyard of Beacon Academy.

The courtyard was lively, but not overcrowded with students and visitors. A few people had briefly glanced in their direction due to the sudden burst of petals that heralded their arrival, but they were content to continue about their business.

"Yeah, it has. We were standing just over there when I fell into your luggage and then exploded." Ruby giggled quietly. "After that, I thought you'd never be my friend, much less my girlfriend." Ruby's words had a gentle, sincere happiness to them.

"If I'd had my way, you'd have taken that pamphlet on dust safety from me at the entrance ceremony later that day and never spoken to me again. Thank goodness things didn't go as I'd planned." Weiss scooted closer to Ruby and pressed the sides of their arms together.

"Most things haven't gone as planned for us over the years, have they?"

"I suppose they haven't. But somehow we wound up here, together."

"We have. And being with you is all that I need."

"I couldn't agree more."

They leaned into each other, sharing a quiet moment, which was interrupted by Ruby sighing wistfully.

"Weiss, I love you." Ruby sounded unusually serious. There was no hint of uncertainty in her declaration, which had been made many times before, but there was an unusual amount of weight behind her words.

"I love you too, Ruby." Weiss responded with a comforting tone, as she gently touched Ruby's arm. "So very much. In fact, I've been wanting to have a conversation with you about just how much I love you."

"You… you have?" Ruby looked at Weiss carefully. "What type of conversation?"

A slight blush reached Weiss' face. "Well, um… you see, it's about our… what did you call it… mutually consented trial period of courtship?"

Ruby looked stunned for a moment. "Wait! That's what I want to discuss too! You don't mean…" She paused with her mouth half open as she pointed a trembling finger at Weiss.

Weiss leaned back slightly. "H-huh? Wait, Ruby, you couldn't possibly…" The gears in her head spun, landing on the only logical explanation. "Hold on!" She scrambled around, her hand rummaging into her combat skirt's pocket.

Ruby began floundering about, realizing what was happening. "No! Wait! I… I want to say it!" Her hand flew into her own pocket and grasped around for the item she'd double checked was with her before leaving their apartment earlier that morning.

They became still as they found what they were looking for, hands still hidden from sight. They stared at each other, looking equally frantic and exhilarated.

"But Ruby, I want to be the one to—"

"No way, I've waited way too long to not ask you myself!"

"I've wanted to ask you for ages though! I—Fine! We'll ask at the same time!"

"Deal!"

They mirrored each other's movements, swiftly pulling small boxes out of their pockets, opening them with outstretched arms, and speaking simultaneously.

"Weiss, will you—"

"Ruby, will you—"

"YES OF COURSE I'LL MARRY YOU!"

"YES OF COURSE I'LL MARRY YOU!"

As they embraced and kissed passionately, the open boxes fell from to the ground below, the rings inside them glittering brilliantly in the midday sun.

* * *

**A/N: In the author's notes of my previous chapter, I said, "I don't anticipate having nearly as much trouble writing the final 'free day' chapter." So much for that!**

**First, I got delayed by several weeks due to hectic (but positive) circumstances. When I finally sat down to write the chapter, I almost immediately realized I didn't like the flow of events as I had initially envisioned them and spent a day writing and scrapping paragraphs. After taking a few days to step away, I hit a stride and wrote out most of the chapter, but then hit a brick wall in the final scene.**

**While my endgame was always a simultaneous proposal, I couldn't find the right words for the two of them to say in the moments leading up to the proposal itself. The scene alone took over a month of on and off thought. If it had been any scene other than the literal finale of the story, I'd have forced myself to publish something after a day or two, but I refused to let myself release the chapter until I was at least mostly satisfied with the ending. Even now, I don't know if I consider it perfect, but it feels as good as anything that I as a first-time fanfic writer could make without running the risk of the story never actually getting finished.**

**Aside from the final scene, I feel very good about how the rest of the chapter turned out. I really enjoyed bringing several things from previous chapters back, such as the bakery, combat skirts with pockets, coffee, and "Shine".**

**While I actively avoided creating any original characters in the earlier chapters, my setup for the bakery required chefs, and while I considered not having them actually appear, the idea of them being a couple to parallel Ruby and Weiss occurred to me and felt too fun to not use, so I spent several hours deciding what Claire and Madeleine's names and appearances would be. Claire's is based on a éclair, and Madeleine's inspiration is the French cookie of the same name. I felt that both pastries had a distinct enough appearance and color to satisfy the "color naming" rule of the RWBY universe. It might be a bit of a stretch, but I also wanted to keep the odds of the names I used appearing in the actual series to a minimum.**

**While this final chapter took significantly longer than I had ever hoped it would, I still really enjoyed the process of White Rose Week (months, for me, I suppose) and plan to do it again next year, but with either greater planning or without the goal of writing extended chapters and a continuous story. My direction will largely hinge upon the state of my personal schedule as the week approaches next year.**

**I cannot thank you enough for joining me in the adventure of my first fanfic. Every view count, favorite/kudo, follow/favorite, comment/review means a great deal to me. If you had any favorite parts, I'd love to know what they were. I hope my writing was able to bring you some joy, and I hope to see you all again next year.**

**Keep moving forward!**


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